timeforsanity

beeswas: Do you really believe what you posted? That because "the Campaigner - In - Chief has never has never had a real job and is completely clueless about what actual employment means" is the reason there are limited employment opportunities. Do you read much? Do you do any independent research on why the job market is stagnant? I know, your post is just a weak attempt at humor…

socialboy: Your comments are very true. The boomers (me included) lived in a different time when it came to employment and the opportunities available. Years ago there was limited automation and outsourcing of manufacturing was not happening, leading to many good-paying middle-class jobs for high school graduates. Jobs that required nothing more than a limited skill-set and the ability to show up for work every day. If you were lucky enough to get a college degree, many jobs were available in middle-management. Not today. Free trade agreements, automation and the increasing trend of most companies to outsource good jobs to foreign countries have led to a society where the odds are stacked against our kids now entering the workforce. A college education is no longer a guarantee to a good job and a prosperous life. Throw many of the boomers who were fed great opportunities (especially the vocal ones who love posting how bad our schools are and how lazy our kids are today) and throw them into the current job market and they would be crying for a job at McDonalds.

Danielle: I agree that our schools need to change their operating model to place more emphasis on students becomming more proficient in math and the sciences, but how can you justify snyder's proposed tax relief to business without some mechanism to gaurantee the local funding will be replaced an attempt to "make sure that schools reinvent themselves or combine with others". Snyder's intention here is to continue the raping and pillaging the people at the expense of tax breaks to business. He could care less about our kids. If money is taken away from the local communities, education will suffer. Regardless of how well you feel our schools are performing today, I can guarantee one thing, if there is less money, the cuts will hurt the ability of our children to get a good education and compete in a global economy (don't look now, but China and India are spending a lot of money to ensure their kids can "eat our kids lunch"). Less money to schools will not solve any problem.

To rzdfwl: Great post. I also laugh when I hear someone like Steve say his company makes decisions about buying equipment and machines based on a tax increase (in this case only about $3,000. a year). No business makes decisions about buying equipment, especially machines, without looking at the demand for their product. If the demand is there, I'm sure Steve and company would buy that equipment tomorrow. If the machines are not needed - they will not purchase them. That's how business works. Steve wants us to believe that he needs these new machines but he will just turn away the business because it will cost his company an extra 3 grand a year - right...

I'm really surprised that the good people of Michigan can not see through this raping of the people and stand up in the next election. It is a very simple issue. If you cut taxes on business, either community spending falls on things like public saftey and education, or the working class has to make up the difference. Also, there will be no flood of new companies relocating or starting operation based on the snyder agenda. If you don't believe this, ask yourself how much news you have seen recently about new companies coming to Michigan. Zero?

Snyder and his GOP contingent are intent on turning Michigan into a land where big business is given the opportunity to make even more profit that will increase share prices and executive bonuses, but will never find its way to the people in the communities. Yet the electorate continues to support them. I can't explain it - it's just sad as hell.

bees: I am not a municipal employee and I am whinning like hell over this... You state: "In the global economy we can't have so much overhead. Time to make significant cuts". If your intention is to continue with budget cuts that affect the education of our kids, forget about us competing in a global economy. Not sure if you have noticed, but some countries in the global economy, like China and India, are spending more dollars on education. These kids can "eat the lunch" of our current crop of students.

Eliminating tax on business with no plan to replace the money is very short-sided and I believe a violation of the state's elected officials responsibility to provide basic services. Snyder may not care about the future of our children, but I sure do. And so should everyone...

Who is this guy Brian Burch and how the hell did he ever get elected to the role of Councilman? I'm sorry, but his statements in the article are so ludicrous I had to laugh.

“But not everyone on council agreed on the additional increase to maintain the present full-time staff of 22 firefighters. Councilman Brian Burch argued that firefighters responded to 84 fires last year out of about 2,800 total calls, the bulk of which were calls for medical assistance.
“I’m having a hard time why we can’t figure out ways to do it better,” Burch said. “I don’t think there’s any motivation to do it better. It’s ‘do it the way we’ve always done it’ and get it off our plate.””

Hey Brian, try explaining your logic to someone who was rescued from a medical emergency by the fire department. Maybe someone should tell the esteemed Councilman that the fire department does a bit more than put out fires. They also do this little thing called saving lives. And the good people in Holland actually elected this guy. Wow…

Runner: I do not know you or your business. I had a business once and can really appreciate the challange you face everyday. What I have a hard time understanding, however, is the concept that paying lower taxes will encourage you to expand and grow your business. When I ran my successful business, expansion was something that I did based on demand for my product, not how much tax I was paying. I did not hire more people just because I paid less in taxes. Taxes are nothing more than the cost of doing business. Just like employee wages and the cost of materials. Let's say we eliminate all of your tax burden. Why would this encourage you to grow your business? If there is demand for your product, believe me, you will grow your business.

One more point: How can Holland expect to bring new business and construction to town when there are pending proposals to cut basic public services? If I were looking to start a new business, I would certainly not do so in a community where I was afraid by building would burn down due to cuts in fire protection.

To deadlyaim: Your comment is nothing more than GOP rhetoric flavored with a bit of tea party whining. You state “Liberals cannot comprehend or understand the concept of private property rights. Money and capital is private property”. True, but what about the concept of taxation? You fail to state (or maybe even understand) that taxation is how a country pays for needed services. Simple things like education, police and fire protection, infrastructure, etc.

How about this for illogical: Let all the companies in the US build their own roads, educate their own workforce, police their own properties, put out their own fires, and dig their own sewers. Suspending all rational thought and logic is the entire foundation of your comment.

To wannabe2: You apparently have been drinking some kool-aid yourself, my friend. I guess just a different flavor than Tim's. I believe your flavor is "sour grape".

You whine about redistribution of wealth (GOP code for everyone, especially business, paying their fair share to provide needed services to society - things like educating our kids), but taxes are the essential element that keeps any country running. How else would services be provided? On a volunteered basis?

I love your comment: "This mentality will take away the freedoms we all cherish and our military has fought for". What? Ensuring that business pays a fair tax will eliminate freedom?

Maybe it's not sour grape kool-aid you are drinking, but rather "snyder's special blend".

To the hounds: Based on the activity and beliefs of snyder and his GOP band of merry-men, we should be so business-friendly after this bill passes (which it will, easily) that companies should be lining up at the state line to open up shop. There will be so many jobs that we will have to start bringing in workers from other states to fill them.

If you believe that, and support the current GOP philosophy of giving away desperately needed dollars that cities rely on for basic services (simple things like education and public safety), then you have been successfully brainwashed. I congratulate the GOP for their ability to take the minds of normally rational people and drastically alter their way of thinking to believe that companies will create many more jobs if they pay less tax, and cities will “do just fine” with drastically reduced revenues.

Personally, I struggle to understand how someone, especially with school-age children, could support this latest giveaway to business at the expense of educating our kids. They may be a few more jobs, but if they require any type of detailed thought process, we will have to look to the kids of other states to fill them. Pure Michigan is starting to take on a whole new meaning.

What, a school is being forced to cut spending and/or raise tuition? How could this possibly happen?

Could it be that our elected officials really don't give a damn about education? Think their concern is just continuing the tax breaks for business without any regard for replacing the revenue for schools and community services? No, not in the great state of Michigan that cares about educating our kids so they can compete in a global economy. Not here…

Right, Fred, please continue the GOP misinformation campaign. It appears the GOP is starting to grab for straws. The truth is that there is no correlation between the amout of oil we produce in the US and the price of gas. If Upton wants me to believe that, I have only one thing to say to him - You are an idiot...

Hey Fred, do you know what the number one export was for the US last year? GAS!!! Those big oil companies you continue to give tax subsidies to are taking gas produced here and exporting it to other countries to make a bigger profit. I have no problem with this as we live in a capitalist society. What I have a problem with is politicians like you who believe the electorate is ignorant and will actually believe high gas prices are the fault of Obama and the dems.

Fred, please do us all a favor and leave Congress. You are the type of politician who is good for absolutely nothing more than rewarding those big guys who keep you in office.

To ditjr73: Ignorance is indeed bliss... Especially for those who actually believe that companies in the US pay the highest tax in the world. True, we may have the highest tax “rate”, but you fail to mention (or maybe just don’t realize) that rate is applied only after the numerous deductions and loopholes are applied. Not sure what you think is fair, but a multi-national corporation based in the US that makes billions in profit and pays NO tax is not fair to society. Case in point:

“In December 2011, the non-partisan organization Public Campaign criticized Mattel for spending $0.84 million on lobbying[50] and not paying any taxes during 2008-2010, instead getting $9 million in tax rebates, despite making a profit of $1 billion, and increasing executive pay by 32% to $22.5 million in 2010 for its top 5 executives” (International Business Times, 26 December 2011).

Thinks that’s “fair”, ditjr73? Take the NEA out of the issue, would you still hold your uneducated belief that more money for education is a bad thing? While countries like China and India are spending money promoting the highest standards of education and graduating students able to “eat the lunch” of most US students, you believe giving corporations “gifts” and allowing them to pay little or no tax is more important that educating our kids?

To Obummr: Michigan has got it figured out? Really? I’m glad you see a bright future for our state. I don’t concur with your “rose-colored glasses” view of Michigan’s future. In case you haven’t looked, unemployment is down in the majority of states due to a recovery (albeit slow) from the greatest recession this country has ever seen. The recovery that Michigan has seen has absolutely nothing to do with snyder and his GOP contingent. Hell, if the GOP had its way, GM and Chrysler would be gone along with thousands and thousands of jobs in the state.

Snyder is doing nothing but feeding big business. His justification for eliminating/lowering taxes on business is that a “business friendly” environment will attract numerous companies to relocate here. How that working, my friend? Have you seen any news of new businesses’ coming here? Where can someone apply for one of these great new jobs? Please don’t hold your breath, it will not happen.

All I see for Michigan’s future is less revenue (due to snyder’s “gift” to his friends) that will force less spending on such minor things like public safety and education. I guess if you believe a successful and prosperous Michigan is one in which the rich get richer, our kids receive an inferior education, those in need of help are given less, and the majority of jobs created are of the low-paying no-benefit type, then you are right; Michigan really does have it figured out. Sad times, indeed…

To alphafive: The writer did offer a constructive solution in her last paragraph - vote out the GOP!!! You statement "The problem is, the state is constitutionally mandated to have a balanced budget, and when revenues are down something has to be done" is an excellent observation and the heart of the issue. That "something" that needs to be done is to stop snyder's mission to reduce/eliminate taxes on businesses operating in the state. Revenue needs to increase, not decrease, as is happening under snyder and the GOP's master plan (cut business tax and new companies will flood the state).

When the people vote for someone with "business experience", this is usually what you get. Their concern is maximizing profit at the cost of essential services to society.

To David Harris: Any chance of someone on the MLive staff taking the idea of an article about the misguided priorities of our esteemed State Attorney General to your editor? Like his wasting of resources on trivial matters like this when it will take possibly years to clear the backlog of rape kits in Detroit? Please let us all know. I think everyone, especially women, would be very interested in having Schuette explain his prioritization of our limited resources.

Your are right, Bob T, this guy only cares about his political career...

Thi is typical Schuette - go for the low-hanging fruit that makes the most headlines. Schuette is an embarrassment to the state and the people who voted for him. Try this Bill: Do something about the huge backlog of rape kits that have not been tested in the state:

“Some U.S. cities are pushing through heavy backlogs of unprocessed sexual assault evidence from cases that span decades, while Detroit’s more methodical approach is aimed at solving cases and ensuring against repeated problems that led to a stockpile of more than 11,000 rape kits. The downside is limited funding means it could take months — even years — for police, prosecutors and university researchers to pore over Detroit’s backlogged rape kits and deliver justice to victims seeking closure” AP, February 24, 2012.

When this is accomplished and all of the criminals who have raped are in prison and the victims finally have some justice and can sleep at night, then you can go about making headlines over trivial crimes to further your political career (this guy actually thinks Romney will be elected and he will be tapped on the shoulder for US Attorney General).

So, we have a State Attorney General worried about medical marijuana dispensaries and closing business’ that provide internet access when there are “real” criminals who are continuing the destruction of women’s lives. Really Bill? These are your priorities? We will all feel better about some internet cafe’s being closed while rapists freely walk the street?

Not sure what we are paying you, but you, my friend are a waste of money, and apparently have no idea what the job is that you were elected to do (I guess you fit that recently crafted mold of the GOP not caring about the women, only the rich that put you into office). One word comes to mind: RECALL!!!

OK, people, let’s all just relax a bit. The sky is not falling and the sun will come up tomorrow. Obama is just setting the table in the event that the SCOTUS overturns the law. He knows his words will not influence any of the judges – I’m sure he realizes that they have all already made up their minds (I believe they didn’t even need the oral arguments – just a show).

If the law is overturned, he can now campaign on the issue of the right-wing doing everything in their power, including overturning a law passed by the majority of a democratically elected congress, to further their party’s agenda. An example of judicial activism at its finest.

What surprises me is the Texas judge demanding a response from the Justice Department, on three pages, single-spaced. What is this guy smoking? He needs to go back to his job and let the big boys handle it from here (someone needs to tell him that he does not sit on the SCOTUS). I think the best opinion on Judge Smith’s action comes from Vanderbilt Law Professor Brian Fitzpatrick, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, who told Talking Points Memo that he doesn’t think Obama’s statements are particularly accurate, adding “the president is a politician. He's allowed to be cute. Federal judges are supposed to be above that."

And the good ol’ boy took the bait. Reminds me of why is stay away from Texas.

To Cole: Excellent point on lack of a clear distinction (and the resulting confusion) between a “sale” and a “donation”. In my opinion this is the heart of the case that the Michigan SC needs to rule on. Some laws that are passed are ambiguous and require the clarification of the courts.

Given the conservative make up of Michigan’s elected officials, I will predict that the SC will uphold the Appeals Court ruling in August. They will not do their job and rule on the “intent” of the law (clearly to allow patients with a registered medical professional recommendation the ability to reasonably obtain medicine), but rather search hard for a way to continue restricting medical marijuana use in Michigan.

It is truly unfortunate that the people we elect to serve us instead seem only to focus on continuing their political future by looking for the “low-hanging fruit”. Their priority appears to be one of placating an element of the electorate on issues that really don’t matter to the majority of the people. Case in point is our esteemed Sen. Rick Jones recently introducing legislation excluding glaucoma as a valid medical condition for the use of medical marijuana. A total of 500 people are approved for use of medical marijuana in the entire state – 500 people! He introduces this legislation at a time where we have limited state resources to deal with major crime: “Some U.S. cities are pushing through heavy backlogs of unprocessed sexual assault evidence from cases that span decades, while Detroit’s more methodical approach is aimed at solving cases and ensuring against repeated problems that led to a stockpile of more than 11,000 rape kits. The downside is limited funding means it could take months — even years — for police, prosecutors and university researchers to pore over Detroit’s backlogged rape kits and deliver justice to victims seeking closure” AP, February 24, 2012.

Time for the majority to take control back from those elected officials who apparently are incapable of determining the rational prioritization and application of state resources.

Just a clarification for ridusofgovt: I am not and will never wish physical suffering upon anyone. I am sorry if you misinterpreted my reply to granny as such. My point was and is the financial suffering happening each and every day by people denied coverage under our “for profit" healthcare system. The reference to suffering was financially directed (please re-read my post).

The physical pain and suffering is real and will happen to all of us. No one can wish or hope this away.